First Encyclopaedia of Breast Cancer’s Weaknesses
2 August 2011 - Scientists at the ICR’s Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre have created the world’s first encyclopaedia of genes that drive breast cancer.
The project is a big step towards forming a complete picture of the weak points in breast cancer cells.
The scientists screened thousands of genes in many different types of breast cancer then sifted through the results to identify the genetic faults critical for the survival of each particular sub-type. The data are being made freely available for other scientists around the world to use, so that new targets for treatments can be found more rapidly.
The project, led by Dr Chris Lord and Professor Alan Ashworth, has already found results with clinical implications, for example that the gene TTK can be targeted in patients who lack a functioning PTEN gene. TTK inhibitors are already in early stage clinical trials. This work highlights the promise of these drugs and suggests which patients are likely to benefit from them.
Now the method has been shown a success, the scientists are continuing their work to identify all of the key genes for all breast cancer sub-types.
